Ali Krieger talks Zohran Mamdani and Gotham FC coming to Queens

Soccer has taken over New York City, whether it’s the FIFA World Cup games or Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s 24/7 soccer fields.

Hours after the U.S. men’s national team’s devastating loss to Belgium, Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that New Yorkers won’t have to wait too much longer to have professional soccer within city limits. The Etihad Park soccer stadium at Willets Point, Queens, plans to open in 2027 as the new home stadium for New York City FC and will also become the home stadium for the National Women’s Soccer League’s Gotham FC, starting in 2028. The stadium will also host some 2028 Olympic soccer matches.

Former Gotham FC player and Team USA Olympic gold medalist Ali Krieger joined Mamdani and Hochul for a City Hall press conference on Tuesday to celebrate Gotham FC’s planned move to Queens, and caught up with City & State about the beautiful – and sometimes very political – game. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

How did you feel about the U.S. men’s national team losing to Belgium in the knockout round?

So sad, because they were on such a good run. We were all behind them and they had such a good team. They played an incredible tournament and then just unfortunately soccer’s the kind of game where any team can win on any day. That just goes to show you that those small margins are what separates the champion teams from the other teams, and it just wasn’t their day. I think the controversy was a little touchy as well. At the end of the day, I feel like the conversation will always be on that, rather than how good the football was that they played the entire tournament, and how great it is that they’ve united our country and how they’ve represented all of us.

Do you believe in things like jinxes in soccer?

No, I think you still have to show up on the day and be your best and perform at the level that you know you can. I think a lot of times in a big tournament like that, the team really rallies around each other and leaves the noise off the field. I think that’s exactly what they tried to do, but it just wasn’t enough. I think then the football became a little bit more difficult on the day.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani is a huge soccer fan. How do you think having a soccer fan as a leader in the city has impacted the sport?

That’s what leadership is all about, right? You get people involved, and you want to be a part of something bigger than yourself and leadership really starts that. They define the identity, the culture, create a safe environment and a healthy environment. They want to give these players everything they can give them in order for them to be happy, to perform their best and to be excited about the future. And that’s exactly what I think the mayor has done, and that’s a reflection of how the process is going with football in our city and for the women’s team. (Relocating the team’s home games to Queens) is just an incredible step to that ultimate goal of creating a space where these women deserve to have and have the resources, the accommodations, everything that they work for every single day. To be able to walk into a stadium that is full of fans, that you feel like it’s home – that’s something that I think from a player’s perspective everyone’s looking forward to.

The U.S. women’s national team has historically been underfunded compared to the men’s team. How is that changing?

Regarding our collective bargaining agreement, that was one of the most proud moments of my career. Not winning championships, but fighting for equal pay and being one of the 28 plaintiffs on the record fighting against our employer to get what we actually deserve and just earn that respect. We were multitasking fairly well in that moment, where we were winning World Cups and Olympics, and then we were like, we’re not getting paid. There’s so much inequity compared to our male counterparts and that’s just so unfair because we endure the same amount mentally, physically, emotionally. But ultimately, it wasn’t just about us as individuals or the team, it was about women across all industries wanting the same thing for themselves and really trying to fight for themselves and what they actually deserve.

As a former Gotham FC player, do you think playing in New York compared to in New Jersey will make a difference on the field?

I don’t know if it’s going to be better. It’s not going to be better or worse, it’s going to just be different, and it’s going to be exciting where we can actually have more access to fans because it’s really difficult to get to the stadium in Jersey. That’s what I was hearing from multiple fans and supporters over the years, that it was such a difficult location coming from New York and vice versa. I think (in the new stadium) there’s just easier transportation: You can take the bus, you can take the train, you can walk to the stadium, and I think we're able to reach that many more fans. When you walk out into a stadium as a player and you see the screaming fans – it’s full, it’s packed – you just want to play better.